God's Revolver
by saltedpineapple
Summary: On his crusade to over throw as many kingdoms as possible Vector stumbles across a village that was burned to the ground caused by a sorcerer with a hidden secret that he he is one of three Guardians in charge of protecting the world's strongest weapon.
1. God's Revolver

The smoke sat heavy in the air as Vector's ship was finally able to dock at port behind the rest of his fleet. As he stepped onto the docks all he could hear was an eerie silence accompanied only by the snap and crackle of the wooden shops and straw huts that made up the village. Fire wasn't a normal tactic for his men, but that didn't stop the darkness from twisting across his face pleased with the destructive liberties his army had taken.

"Search for survivors, if they don't immediately surrender execute them." Vector ordered and the remaining soldiers fanned out into the village disappearing into the smoke.

Vector too stepped off the dock and made his way into the destruction. The air around him was hot away from the sea's cool breeze. It felt strangely comfortable, like a warm embrace congratulating him, and the smell of seared flesh and bone welcoming him home. As he made it further into the town the ground became more scorched; the bottom of his feet feeling the burn through the soles of his sandals. The smoke was thicker further into town and he was finding it harder to breathe. He tugged his cape around him, shielding his face so he could at least breathe, though the smoke still stung at his eyes making him wince. His will to not let a single free soul go kept him moving forward.

"Your Majesty, over here!"

Vector turned towards the cry as his eyes squeezed shut against the smoke. He was coughing slightly as he moved through the thick smog towards his men. When he reached the other soldiers the air was suddenly clean; his lungs gasped greedily for the air like it was the first breath of his life. Violet eyes watered as the fresh air cleansed them, his vision blurred slightly as he looked around. The ground he now stood on was green, the vegetation under his feet not even singed in a small radius around them. In the center of the circle a teen laid, curled into a ball and passed out.

"He's alive but unresponsive, should we just put him out of his misery?"

Vector's mouth opened to instinctively give the order of killing the teen, but something was pulling against him. He felt his heart stop briefly for a moment, a pain that pulled against his soul, choking out the very order before the words formed on his lips.

He stepped closer to the teen; bending down one arm rested across his knees as he moved the comatose teen with the other. The teen's red hair fell away from his face revealing the long purple tattoo over his left eye and continuing down his cheek. His jaw slipped loose and the gasp died in his throat. He pushed himself from the ground dusted off his pants.

"No, that won't be necessary. Take him back to my vessel, and lock him up."

Vector strolled down to the cells in the belly of his personal vessel in his fleet of war ships. The guards unlocked the iron door without word or direction, as they were used to it by now. Vector moved into the cell simply waving his hand over his shoulder and the heavy door slid shut behind him.

He bent down, running a nail over the face of the sleeping boy on the ground. A fire mage, he couldn't have been more lucky if he made a deal with Lady Luck herself (and he knows, he had done that dance twice before.) It was a beautiful war prize – one that seemed to fall into his lap by accident.

"It's time to wake up," he muttered, his voice was thick and choking as he tried to gently wake the mage.

The boy stirred against the straw he was laying on. His eyes rolling as they tried to get used to the dim light in the cell as the only light available came from a small port hole. A soft grunt passed over his lips as he struggled to push himself off the ground. He went to speak but his throat ran dry, his tongue running over his lips but it was dry too.

"What's your name?"

He coughed hoarsely, his eyes meeting the king's. Vector shrunk under the blaze of his gaze, the same pull against his soul he felt earlier consuming him once more.

"IV." He choked out before coughing again.

"Interesting name," Vector mused as he pulled his canteen from his side, offering it to IV.

IV took the container, consuming the water faster than he could swallow, some liquid dribbling down his chin. A sharp gasp left his lips as he pulled the empty bottle away in an attempt to fill his lungs again with air.

"Where are my brothers?" IV asked as he handed the canteen back to Vector.

"Brothers?" A smile twisted on his face as he knelt down in front of IV. He reached out and ran his nail over the tattooed cheek; the crimson eyes narrowed under the touch, IV's hand snaring Vector's wrist causing the king to laugh. He twisted his wrist free, taking IV's in his grip. "You're not just any old mage are you?" a dry chuckle cracked in his throat as his fingers pressed down into the space between the bones on the top of his wrist. IV wailed sharply as he tried to jerk his hand away. Vector continued to grip the wrist harder, running his thumb over the area causing IV to shutter as pain ran through his body. Vector felt the skin under his thumb heat up as a pale lavender gem appeared imbedded in his flesh. "You're a damn Guardian," he laughed again, a darkness consuming him. "This isn't even luck anymore. It's fate."

IV was finally able to pull away, scooting as far back in the cell as he could to put space between himself and the Madness King. "W-what do you mean fate?"

Vector stood up off the cold cell floor, brushing the straw away that stuck to his knees. He shrugged, seemingly ignoring IV's question. "Your brothers, were they with you in that village?"

"I'm not answering you," IV's eyes narrowed as his hand clamped down on the gem around his wrist, as if to protect it from Vector.

"It doesn't matter," Vector shook his head and pulled IV to his feet; slamming him against the wall. His hand covered the sorcerer's own, applying more pressure to the gem. A pained cry passed over IV's lips as his knees shook underneath him, "They'll feel this won't they?" All of Vector's features darkened in shadow, his eyes growing cold. He watched the tears form in the crimson pools, the fire all but extinguished and clouded in pain.

"They'll come find you. And they'll bring _It_ with them."

The pair of brothers fell to their knees as they collapsed on the cave floor, hands clutched around their right wrists.

"Brother, IV is-" the youngest brother winced as he felt the yellow gem under his hand burn hot.

"I know." V sat back on his feet, ignoring his own burn and pulled his brother into his arms. He ran his long fingers through the pink curls in a shallow attempt to sooth his youngest brother.

"We shouldn't have left him."

"I know."

"He's pigheaded," a voice came from deep within the cave. Both brothers looked into the darkness, eyes meeting with a cold red glowing pair, "it's better that you left him, or you all would have been captured."

"We need to save him!" III protested into the darkness. He went to stand but V managed to hold him in place.

"We will with time, my sons."


	2. The Other King

When he was still in the village there were whispers in the air; whispers that warned against man they called the King of Madness and his march across any land that came before him. Warnings that were brushed away and ignored by IV and his two brothers who had found refuge in such a small village. They were a quiet and simple folk, barely remembered by the king that governed them – except during tax time of course. It seemed like such a logical place to hide and keep safe the very thing they swore their life to protect.

That was all erased that day he was captured. The first ships had showed in silence the night before; soldiers pouring out in onslaught against a defenseless town. The soldiers had no armors of their own as they moved undetected through the streets, entering homes and murdering without cause.

It was IV's turn to stand watch, but he felt in such an easy going place it was pointless, taking the chance to sleep in front of the hut he was meant to guard – the hut that held the weapon from the heavens. During the attack he was slipping in and out of sleep, finding it uncomfortable to properly rest on the bale of hay he was perched on. He was sure he would have been a deadman if It didn't wake him in time.

_IV, there is an evil here._

He heard It in his head, jarring him instantly from his half-sleep. The gem imbedded in his wrist glowing white hot as he jumped to his feet. By then screams had woken other townspeople who were flooding into the streets around him as the sun crept over the hills. The army had surrounded them and without wasting time started slicing at the people with their broad swords, some even turning on their own brothers in arms blinded by blood lust.

As the villagers' screams and cries in agony fell onto his ears over and over, compressing themselves into his brain he felt his instincts take over. His body surged in an energy he couldn't control, the very thing he was created for. The tattoo over his eye glowed bright to match the gem in his wrist as a seal appeared on the ground at his feet, spreading to cover him and the hut where his brothers and the weapon slept. (But of course the commotion had woken them as well.)

The heat was intense, his tanned skin warming as the ground outside the seal combusted instantly. The screams from the villagers didn't stop as they burned alive. IV closed his eyes, the only solace to the noise was that the enemy's cries had joined them.

"Brother IV! Stop, we need to leave!" He remembered hearing III calling out to him from porch of the hut. He was wrapped in a cloak that matched his eyes, their eldest brother behind him with the weapon.

His response though wasn't his own, it wasn't even his voice.

_Flee. I will hold them off, it is our destiny. Protect the weapon at all costs._

Nasch dipped the cloth into the basin at the bedside; a heavy sigh fell from is lungs as he wrung out the excess water before applying it to his twin's forehead. He wiped away the sweat that beaded on her temples before leaving the cold cloth to rest there.

Two nights had passed since Merag had collapsed at the ball, crying out in painful groans as she held her head. _It's hot, brother. So hot. The village, it's under attack. Lives are turned to ash in their wake._

Merag always had the gift of clairvoyance since birth and only strengthened by the church as she was brought up to be High Priestess. But Nasch had never seen her in so much pain as a vision of the future came to her; and certainly there was never one to induce a coma. The healers had little they could do. They filed in and out, dressing her in new garments and bathing her in oils and burning herbs to ease her pain, but she still remained asleep.

The heavy door to the healing chambers opened and Nasch didn't even bother looking up assuming it was another healer to try to tend to her. Only when the foot steps stopped in the middle of the room did he raise his gaze from his sister.

"Your Majesty," the blond bowed as he caught his king's attention.

"Kaito, please," Nasch sighed again, scrubbing his face with his hands, "we're alone, can you please just use my name?" He wasn't even half as irritated as he sounded but the lack of sleep over the past three days was starting to show, even in someone who held himself as well as Nasch did.

A smirk slipped across Kaito's face as he nodded, continuing the rest of the way across the room. "Yes of course, _Nasch_." The name fell from his lips in a sarcastic tone, one Nasch even found the strength to reward in a dry chuckle. "Sir Durbe has returned from a scout of the village. The village itself and the surrounding hillside down to the water was scorched. There were no survivors."

Nasch's fingers played with one of his sister's curls – a nervous habit he would admit, but not sure why he was toying with her hair as opposed to his own. "Any idea who attacked them?"

Kaito shook his head. "No, there were no kingdom crests to be found. The heat had even deformed the enemy's weapons."

"Thank you, Kaito. You may leave now."

Kaito side stepped the bed in protest, taking his king's free hand he pulled him to his feet. "Not without you."

Nasch's hand slipped from Kaito's, his knees buckled wanting to sit back down but he remained standing as he stared into the steel cold eyes. "I need to stay with Merag."

"You need to rest."

"I'm fine."

A smile once again slipped across his face – a sad one this time though, as he shook his head in disagreement, "No, you're not, _Your Majesty._" Kaito teased as he slid one of his hands up to Nasch's cheek, his thumb stroking over the tired bags under his dead royal eyes. "She'll be fine."

All Nasch could do was nod, defeated by his own exhaustion. He leaned into Kaito's soft touch, his eyes slipping shut. "A few hours."

Kaito leaned in, his lips pressing against Nasch's forehead in a gentle kiss, "A few hours." He agreed before leading Nasch away to his own chambers to sleep.

IV sat on the bench in his cell, his face pressed against the wood siding of the ship, as he held a fist full of hay in his hand lighting it straw by straw before tossing them out the port hole into the ocean below. It had been a few days, IV was sure of that even if he lost count of the number from sleeping most of the time to keep himself from boredom. He had contemplated burning the whole ship at one point to amuse himself, but that thought disappeared when he remembered he couldn't swim.

Then there was his captor – if he really was _the_ King of Madness IV didn't see it. When he was awake Vector seemed to make his way into the cells, personally bringing IV his meals to eat. IV didn't know any kings, but he knew they had servants to do such work as feeding prisoners.

But perhaps that did make him mad.

When Vector visited him later that day most of the straw was burnt to ash as he laid stretched out on the planked floor, staring blankly at the ceiling. The sun had already began to fall over the horizon making visibility minimal in the cell.

"Now where are you going to sleep?" Vector asked taking note of the ashy floors.

IV grunted and rolled over to face Vector, who was standing in the still open doorway a plate of bread and gravy in his hand. IV pushed himself into a sitting position as Vector entered and sat down next to him. He muttered a 'thanks' and 'I'm fine' before he began to eat.

Vector sat in silence as the sorcerer ate as always. Watching him in the dimming light as it bounced off his tanned skin. "You're not originally from that village, are you?"

IV discarded the dish to the side when he was finished, wiping his mouth with his dirty sleeve. "If you must know, no, I'm not."

Vector nodded. He didn't suspect for a moment he was, the Guardians were rumored to be nomadic, roaming the Earth to protect the weapon. IV's features were still curious to him, his skin darker and hair wild as the fire that burned inside him. But still he seemed well kept and groomed for someone who lived without ever having a home.

"We should be getting back to my palace in the morning."

"Good." IV muttered, not that he thought his living conditions would improve. But at least he would be stationary at that point, making it easier for his brothers to locate him.

"Where are you going to sleep? You've burnt up your bed."

"It's not exactly entertaining down here."

Vector chuckled at the comment. "Would you like to come up topside, and sleep in an actual bed?"

"What?" IV practically stuttered not believing the offer he was given.

Vector stood up off the floor, holding a hand out to IV, "Would you like to sleep in an actual bed?"

Crimson eyes blinked a few times, confusion still washing around inside him as he took Vector's hand in helping him off the floor. He nodded his head slowly, not sure how to verbalize agreeing to such an offer.

"Very well." Vector didn't let go of his hand as he lead him up the stairs into the main quarters of the vessel. "Of course, this being a ship beds aren't something you have extras of," he chuckled as he pushed open a door, "we will have to share mine. It should be big enough."

IV followed inside, the offer not sounding as strange to him as it should have. He had shared a bed with his brothers countless times for warmth or convenience. This shouldn't be much different. He was pulled from his thoughts as clean clothing was presented to him by one of Vector's servants. He took it, holding it out in front of him it unfolded revealing that it was nothing more than a pair of cotton pants.

"Go ahead and change," Vector said motioning to the changing screen as he began to disrobe himself in the middle of the chamber, "I don't need your dirty clothing in my bed."

IV nodded and quickly disappeared and changed, the soft cotton caressing his skin in a way he didn't know clothing could. It felt expensive, but didn't look like anything other than a plain pair of pants. He washed his face and hands in a basin he found behind the screen, letting out a sharp gasp, not expecting the salt that bit into his eyes.

When he emerged, Vector was already sinking into the bed under the heavy duvet. His own movements were stiff as he walked to the other side of the bed, sliding in under the covers himself. The plush bed all but swallowed him whole as the stiffness from sleeping on the floor for days melted from him. He sighed contently, settling further into the mattress.

"It's nice," IV murmured, sleep finding him quickly as his head fell to the side to look at Vector in the almost dark room.

A faint smile fell over Vector's face. "That's good."

When IV woke in the morning he felt Vector's chest pressed against his back, arms wrapped tightly around his middle in almost a possessive manner. Vector had his nose buried between his shoulder blades. "So warm," he heard him mutter in his sleep.

Every neuron on IV's brain should have been screaming at him to pull away, but he couldn't find it in him. He felt his own insides melt, and Vector in all his sleepy haze was right – it was _warm._


	3. Old Friends Become Ex's Again

III removed his hood as he entered the cave, shaking his head as the soft curls fell to frame his face. His eyes fell on his brother who was sitting by a small fire, trying – but mostly failing, to keep it lit. III sighed as he walked over to his brother and unceremoniously dropped two hares next to him.

"I'm sick of rabbit, can't you do something about this?" III huffed as he stared into the darkness of the cave.

"What do you expect of me, a feast meant for kings?" The weapon answered.

"No. Something less gamey would be a good start."

"Hush, III. You sound like IV."

"Maybe I miss his loud mouth," III groaned as he watched the fire fizzle to nothing more than smoldering ash, "who we apparently took for granted. We need to save him!"

V fell back, his arms behind him in support as he gave up on keeping the fire ablaze. "His soul is still moving too much, there's no point on even trying to locate him right now."

"That's correct, V," It confirmed as it moved from the shadows to sit between the brothers. It lifted one of its hands, long fingers twitched and the fire ignited, blazing just as bright as if IV had done it himself. "Whoever has him, they'll stop sooner or later."

"I hope so." The youngest brother murmured as he pulled his knees close to his chest and rested his chin there. He watched V begin to skin the hares; he may have been hungry but the sight of eating rabbit _again_ was quickly changing that fact.

"We should at least let the king know what happened to his village." III spoke after a long silence causing the other two to look at him. "I mean, it's only right. Apologize for what happened."

V smiled sadly. "While that might be a good gesture, we don't know anything. We don't even know who attacked."

"All those people who needlessly died," III murmured as his eyes fell shut in silent prayer for the village.

"III is right, V. You should go to the king."

"But why?"

"Because King Nasch governs over those lands. And you know what he has."

V threw the hare meat in a stew with some herbs and vegetables from outside the cave. "I see. I'll travel there in the morning, then."

As the fleet of war ships approached the island Vector joined IV at the window in his chambers. The sun was shining behind his twisted white castle, casting it in a dark shadow down across the dense forest to the shore. Vector rested his chin on the sorcerer's shoulder. "There are a still few things I need to take care of, you can wait for me here."

IV nodded as Vector stepped away and exited the room. He made his way up to the deck of his ship and immediately to where his trusted knight stood at the bow.

"Alit," Vector said as his knight turned to face him.

"Your Majesty," Alit bent at the waist in a deep bow, his arm over his chest.

Vector nodded and walked around his knight. He wrapped one arm around the stem of the hull, his other hand resting on the rail as he stared off at his kingdom. It had been months since he last laid eyes on his palace that was faced with white marble. Red accents ran along the tops of the walls, striking against the trees.

It was a strange feeling he had as he watched it come closer on the horizon. Usually he preferred to be away, the thrill of war always calling to him. But now he had almost yearned to be home.

"Alit, I want you to see to it that the servant in my chambers is removed immediately once we dock at port. I've found him quite unsatisfactory as of late."

Alit nodded as he watched his king's back, all the muscles along his bare shoulders were tense, and so was his arm as his fingers dug into the stem. "What would you like to be done with him?"

Vector shrugged his shoulders, finally able to tear his gaze from the palace as he turned back around to face Alit. "Send him to be executed, like I said, he's been less than favorable."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"I want the servants quarters cleaned out by the time I am done showing the Guardian around. And find some fine clothing for him, if you would, please."

-+-

It shouldn't have come as a shock to V that when he showed up in the king's court unannounced that Nasch didn't have the time to be seen. The air weighed heavy in the throne room as he looked around from the place his feet were rooted in the center of the room. The dark feeling came from the one of the smaller less ornate thrones – a queen? No, even V knew that Nasch hadn't wed anyone yet, and that it was just him and his twin sister that ruled over the kingdom.

V finally unhooked his feet from where he had unknowingly anchored himself, walking towards one of the soldiers that guarded the door. "If His Majesty isn't available, may I speak with Lord," V paused for a moment, the name escaping him. "Lord Kaito Tenjo."

The two guards looked at each other, before the one he had spoken to nodded and left the throne room. A soft smile slid across V's face as he nodded and returned back to where he was previously standing.

"When they told me I had a visitor, you were the last one to cross my mind," Kaito said, as he entered the room he waved off the guards who took their post outside in the hall instead.

V turned to face the familiar voice, his long silver hair flowing and following his movements behind him. "I have terrible news to tell the king about one of his villages-"

"We already know," Kaito said cutting him off. He stayed on the other side of the room unwilling to close the space between them, "the princess had a premonition about it."

V looked back at the throne, the cold chill of death began to seep out of it and wrap around him. "She's not well now, is she?"

"That's none of your business."

"Perhaps not."

Kaito's fists balled at his sides, "sorry that you had to come all this way with old news, but you can leave now."

V raised his eyebrows, seemingly ignoring Kaito's last statement. "You could heal her, why haven't you?"

Kaito's eyes narrowed as he lunged forward, balling the cloth of V's deep blue cloak in his fists. Rage was burning in his eyes, melting their usual cold gaze and setting it ablaze. "That's not in my job description anymore."

V stood unmoved as he stared down at his former friend. "No, you're too busy pretending you're just as human as them."

_Crack_. Kaito's fist hit squarely into his jaw, reddening the pale flesh. "Don't talk to me like you're my superior." One hand twisted tighter into the cloak as he took hold of V's chin between two fingers, yanking the taller man down to his level. "Your only existence is to serve me, act like it."

The sorcerer's face was as obstinate as ever despite the pain that started to radiate from Kaito's nails digging into his flesh and the awkward position he was bent in. The heat that raged between the two of them was full of an anger and distaste that could set the whole room on fire as V continued to defiantly stare at Kaito. Too much unspoken pain and betrayal circled around the pair over the years. The only logical thing V could do – and certainly didn't make the slightest effort to stop when his long fingers hooked around small hips, continued anyway as the muffled protests fell from Kaito's mouth as he yanked him closer and his lips fell over his.

When Vector opened up the door to his private chambers IV was just as blown away with the richness and over the top decor as he was with the rest of the palace. He wasn't about to pretend he understood anything Vector was planning the last day, but he wasn't about to question it and get thrown back into the dungeon either.

The room was adorned in thick red curtains and bedding. Gold leafing wrapped itself up the tall bedposts that held more blood red cloth up in a canopy that cascaded down and skirted the floor. It was a warm room, welcoming IV in – certainly not something he was expecting from a man dubbed the Madness King. Only Vector's chuckle when he caught him staring pulled him out of his daze.

"You'll be sleeping here," Vector said as he opened another door, revealing a conjoined room with nothing more than a simple bed in simple linens; but of course, it was still better than straw on a stone floor.

IV nodded and stepped inside the small room. It was cramped, but still well ventilated with a large window that looked out over the undeveloped forest that seemed to blanket the whole island.

"Are there any villages under those trees?" IV asked as he felt Vector's presence behind him. Villages would make it easier for his brothers to seek shelter before finally rescuing him.

"No, everyone lives in the lower streets inside of the palace walls." Vector answered with a laugh, "old tales speak of an evil that lives in the hills. Don't know how much I believe that, though."

IV turned around to face Vector. Evil? That sounded more like his kingdom's curse, but nothing Vector did seemed to fit that mold of Madness. Something that continued to ring true as he presented IV with a rather expensive looking change of clothes.

He took the clothes from the king, they felt silky and expensive in his hands and embroidered with an intricate gold pattern. The fabric was soft against his callosed hands, and as much as he wanted to feel the fabric hug the rest of his body he found himself handing them back to Vector instead.

"I can't wear these."

Vector shook his head and sat down at the foot of the bed, "think of them as a gift."

"Isn't being confined to this room, and not the cellar gift enough?"

"Change, IV."

IV nodded and quickly changed, discarding the pants Vector had given him the night before and slipping into the silk robes. He slid onto the bed, back propped up against the headboard; confusion started to sink into him as he noticed Vector had made no move to leave the cramped quarters.

"Tell me about this supposed evil, I'm curious."

Vector smirked and turned on the bed, pulling his legs up under himself to better face the sorcerer.

"I'm not sure how much of it I believe, but I do know any armies my father ever sent into the forest never returned."

IV hugged his knees to his chest as he listened to the tales. Even if Vector didn't believe them, IV did. He knew the stories well. He spent the rest of the day listening to the king tell him the old tales; stories of an evil and a chaos that blackened the hills of his kingdom. There was a sickness in that forest that could drive even the strongest will mad. It was a shaman, a witch king that cursed the land hundreds of years ago.

And IV knew one thing for sure as Vector was whisked off that evening to attend a celebration – he knew the last thing that could happen was his brothers come to this island with God's weapon in tow.


	4. The Darkness Approaches

Kaito twisted his fist in V's cloak as he began to pull the taller man through the halls. His face was red out of a mixture of embarrassment and anger. The mage was stumbling behind his quick pace, but he had no plans to slow down. At the end of the hall he threw him against the wall with enough force to send vibrations through the stone face.

V's whole body flinched at the pain that shook through his body, his head ringing and vision slightly blurring. Kaito yanked him forward again, their faces nearly touching as he could feel the other's hot breath on his skin.

"Don't ever do that again," Kaito hissed, his voice rough and biting.

The sorcerer straightened himself, grasping Kaito's hand to untangle it from his cloak. He towered over Kaito, his gaze just as harsh as Kaito's spoken word. "Understood."

Steel eyes narrowed as he stepped away, "you need to leave."

"To inform the king of what happened wasn't my only business here."

A low chuckle bellowed out of him as Kaito ripped his hand back, crossing his arms over his chest. "And what was your other business? To get me to come back with you? Forget it."

"You don't belong here."

"I don't belong with murders either."

"That doesn't weigh on me, we exist to protect you, not some human."

"Haruto wasn't just some human."

V clicked his tongue. That name, that person, that _thing_, he still hated it even after all the years had passed. Humanity was weak, it was the one thing It had always taught him. And Kaito, a perfect being created in God's Eye, was standing in front of him corrupted by such a frail disease like mortality.

"Are they not just some humans either?" V asked as he motioned to the room behind them. He could feel the same darkness of death that crept around him in the throne room earlier; the only logical thing to assume was that the house of healing was behind the closed doors.

Kaito's fists balled at his sides, shaking as the anger started to flow from him; the feelings of betrayal resurfacing after being carefully buried for so long.

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you can sense the princess is on the edge of death. Do you not care for them like you did that boy?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then why haven't you healed her?"

Kaito fell silent, his shoulders dropping as the anger flushed from his body in one swift movement following all the air from his lungs as he exhaled heavily.

"I told you, I can't do that."

"That's a-" V cut off his own thought, his eyebrows raising as a smirk slid across his face, "The king doesn't know what you are, does he?"

"No, of course not. No matter what you think, I'm not stupid." Kaito sighed once more and turned toward the door, "if you heal her, we can talk about me returning with you."

V nodded, feeling his instincts to do as instructed (no matter how much he didn't agree with them) as he followed Kaito into the healing chambers. The peaceful air he expected to be greeted with was thick with death instead. The king, who was sitting next to his sister's bedside, didn't notice them enter. In his hand he held hers delicately as his thumb brushed over the fragile skin. Even V felt his heart tugged at as he watched the pair. It was just a premonition, wasn't it? How did it leave her in such a poor state.

"Nasch," Kaito stepped forward first, swiftly moving to the king's side. He put a hand on either of Nasch's shoulders and the king slumped into the half embrace, his eyes sliding shut.

"Who is he, Kaito?"

"He's a water mage from the west," Kaito answered as one hand moved to comb the messy purple curls from Nasch's face, setting them behind his ear, "He's here by my request to heal the princess."

V stepped forward, with his hand over his heart he bowed deeply in front of Nasch, "The name is V, Your Majesty."

Nasch sat up, a little more alert as he shrugged Kaito from him. "A sorcerer? You know healing magic?"

V's deep blue eyes didn't meet Nasch's, instead watching Kaito intensely, "A bit, I was taught by the best."

Nasch nodded, head clouded with exhaustion and desperation for his sister; he motioned to one of the healers who brought over a chair for V to sit across the bed from him. V was quick to sit down as he took the princess' free hand and laid his other hand on her forehead which was ice cold. He frowned, she was so close to death now. He wanted to be as quick as he could so he could continue to talk to Kaito about returning with him.

He took a deep breath filling his lungs as the green tattoo over his right eye glowed bright; the gem in his wrist was pressed against the princess' forehead as his eyes slipped shut. Color began to wash back into her pale and tired flesh as the gentle magic began to flow through her. His previous assumptions that it was more than a bad premonition were confirmed when he felt a resistance in the dark refusing to let go of Merag.

_The High Priestess is mine!_

There was a surge of the dark energy that sparked through V as he let out a pained gasp, both of his hands flying off Merag as if he was shocked. Fear washed into him as his blue eyes widened and looked up at Kaito for guidance.

"What's wrong?" Nasch asked as he too let go of his sister, feeling a dull ache in his own arms.

"I-I heard a voice," V answered even though his gaze never left Kaito, "as if something possessed her."

Kaito's brow scrunched together in confusion as he moved around the bed to V's side. "Try again," he instructed as he leaned over V, his hand resting on the sorcerer's shoulder.

_I'll help you this time._ V heard Kaito's voice in his head clearly.

_Nasch will notice the difference in strength, he'll know it's you._

_No he won't._

"Come now, V. I know you can drive the darkness from her," Kaito said, his voice was calm and smooth to wash the worry that was quick to form in Nasch.

V nodded, placing his hands on Merag once more. This time, as his eyes slipped shut and the tattoo across his eye glowed, a seal appeared on the floor beneath the bed, spreading to cover the four of them in its protective circle. There wasn't even a fight this time against the shadow inside the princess as it dissolved in the light coursing through her body with no protest.

As the seal faded around them, Merag's eyes slipped open, her head falling to look at her brother as the life began to creep back into her ruby eyes. She smiled warmly at him as she noticed the relief push itself from him in the form of tears. She took his hand in hers letting out a tired laugh.

"Idiot, you worry to much." She teased and the king laughed as well, wiping the tears away before they fell.


	5. The Mighty Fall in Love

"You said you would return with me," V argued as he followed Kaito into his own personal chambers.

Kaito waved him off as he immediately disappeared behind the changing screen. "I do believe my words were that we'd talk about it." His tone wasn't argumentative and that irritated V even more. Kaito's constant denial over who he really was had always hit the wrong nerve with him. "And I decided there is nothing to talk about."

His fists balled at his side, always such a pain. "You're not protected here."

"I don't need protection by the likes of you."

"And you think this king can offer you protection? He doesn't even know you!" V's cold eyes narrowed on where Kaito was still changing. Typical, hiding from things he didn't want to face. He knew these arguments were petulant and unnecessary, but when Kaito would rather act like a child he was willing to sink so low as to take cheap shots at his heart.

_Feelings_. How disgustingly human.

"It's your fault you even need us. If you didn't do what you did with Haruto-"

It was like Kaito had predicted exactly where his argument was leading by how quick he came from behind the screen; he was only half dressed, his nightshirt hanging open, as he twisted his fists into V's cloak rage blinding him all over again.

"Do not bring him into this!"

V placed calm hand over Kaito's as he stared down at him. Now he had his attention. "Stop acting like this and think," V said as he yanked the grip off of him, "if It had to use IV's power-"

"_It_ has a name, Chris." Kaito cut in as he pulled his hands away to button up his shirt.

V rolled his eyes. _As do I, and that's no longer it._ He thought, but wasn't going to verbalize it, they were past arguing. For now.

"If _Mizael_ had to use IV's power," he corrected himself, "don't you think whoever attacked knew we were there?"

Kaito's mood instantly dissolved as the thought processed through his brain. Defensive shoulders fell and softened as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "I didn't-" he began, but fell silent instead.

"Think? Clearly. You're being hunted again, you're not safe with someone who doesn't know who you are." V sighed and sat down next to Kaito. Even if he never could understand it, Kaito had a strong attachment to humanity. It was something he could not let go of no matter how much time passed. V sometimes thought that was why the Gods had created him; but regardless, he needed to leave the island nation.

"If you stay you're putting this whole kingdom in danger."

It was harsh, but he needed to realize he had no place among humans. He had already tried that once and it only brought their death.

"I can't leave him."

"You don't have much of a choice."

"No you don't understand." Kaito shook his head, "Him. I can't leave _him_."

As if it were rehearsed the door had opened, Nasch stepping through the doorway dressed in plain robes.

_Oh._

V took a moment to look at the king closer, clear that the robes were covering his sleepwear. And when he let his gaze fall across the chamber it slowly dawned on him they weren't in Kaito's personal chambers. The décor was refined, and nearly everything was embossed with gold and silver. In one corner hung dress armor on a dummy mannequin.

Nasch was stammering something about it not being what it looks like, but V wasn't even listening. They were in the king's personal chambers. Kaito habitually lead him into this room, and even had changes of clothes hidden away.

A frustrated groan passed over the sorcerer's lips letting his head fall into his hands defeated.

"You're such a pain."

There had been drinking, a lot of drinking in fact, at a celebration being thrown for the military's victory and decimation of its enemies. Vector should have been questioning his actions by that point in the night; but he was pretty sure all the blood in his veins was replaced with red wine and finding it hard to care what had unfolded that night.

So when he finally retired to his chambers for the night there was no "what are you doing?" as he opened the door to IV's conjoined room; and certainly no "you should probably stop" as he began to remove his decorative armors before sliding into the small bed with the sleeping sorcerer.

He blinked a few times, his drunken vision not helping in the dull moonlight as he looked down at IV. Vector's hand was quick to slide over the tanned skin, fingers splayed out as they traveled over the strong chest and down his side. Despite the cool temperature in the room IV's skin was warm –and Vector remembered being pleased by that before– to the touch. The heat coursed through his own body and Vector could feel desire start to ball in his stomach as his hand continued to travel down dragging the bedsheets with the movement. IV shifted in his sleep when exposed to the cool air, but otherwise stayed asleep. Vector couldn't stop the smirk that followed the chuckle that tumbled over his lips. His fingers slipped under the band of the cotton pants he had given IV the night before, stilling so his thumbs could trace the hipbones.

His gaze fell over the sorcerer once his vision focused in the dull light. It wouldn't take much to get Vector to admit that IV _was_ attractive (he would probably even admit it sober with little prodding.) The blond bangs that messily framed a flawless face, and if he were awake crimson eyes that burned as fiercely as the fires that destroyed that village. And there was his darker skin that had Vector curious as ever, never seeing someone naturally tanned the way IV was before. He was truly beautiful. The remaining Guardians entered Vector's mind briefly, wondering if they were just as beautiful as their brother; but that thought was quickly stuffed away as a small moan came from IV as his hips bucked slightly into Vector's absent touches.

Another chuckle escaped him as Vector noticed IV still hadn't woken up as he glanced up once more. His hand slipped completely under the band of the cotton pants, fingers brushing against IV's groin as he leaned forward their faces mere inches apart.

"Trying to tell me something?" He mused, his breath hot against IV's lips before kissing him roughly.

IV's eyes snapped open at the action, his brain fuzzy and confused as he felt his body respond under attentive fingers. His hands twitched at his sides, wanting to reach out and stop Vector's advances but his body was telling him something different –and as someone who listened to his gut over his brain any day of the week the response was clear.

A soft groan of approval fell from the sorcerer's lips as he kissed the king back. His hips jerking up to meet Vector's hand sending goosebumps across his body in a cold wave. Vector took the moment to hook his fingers under the band and remove the clothing completely.

The kiss broke as Vector's lips traveled down IV's neck and across his collarbone. The skin was hot and flushed under his lips, and even tasted hot (if that was even possible) as his tongue traveled across the jutting bone.

IV twisted under him, his hands fisting the sheets as he groaned. "Stop teasing." His words were breathless, almost inaudible as they left his lips.

"How much did you drink?" He asked instead, the taste of bitter fruit lingering on his own lips.

He could feel the smarmy smile form on Vector's face against his chest as the king shifted on the bed, settling between his legs.

"Does it really matter?" Vector asked as he took IV's length in his hand pumping slow and even. It wasn't like he could remember anyway.

IV clicked his tongue as one of his hands untangled from the sheets and rooting itself tight in the king's ginger locks, tugging firmly. "Just trying to judge your intentions here."

A growl shattered in Vector's throat at the pulling despite the sparks the action was sending down his spine. His lips continued their exploration of the tanned chest (God, did he love that extra heat,) the pace of his fist quickening as his fingers became coated in precum.

"As king it doesn't matter what my intentions are," his voice was low and lazy as he brushed his thumb across the tip of IV's cock, causing the sorcerer to writhe underneath him as another moan escaped him, "or are you going to start complaining?"

"_Mmph_, no."

"Good." Vector said as he sat up straight, pushing IV's thighs to his chest. As he pressed his first slick finger into IV he wasn't sure whose gasp was louder as he shuttered the heat around him surging through his body and making his toes curl.

A low moan shook through Vector as he pushed in a second finger. The heat was nearly engulfing him, and he was impatient for more. He leaned forward, capturing IV's lips to distract himself from it. Free hand tangled in the crimson mop, tugging as his mouth fell away to his neck and that sweet hotness of his skin.

The tension was building tight in his gut, feeling like he was already forced to the edge without much help. The heat having the adrenaline rushing through him, tumbling just like the fire he felt around him.

It wasn't going to take much.

He removed his fingers and pushed inside the sorcerer in one seamless motion. His body pitched forward, laying awkwardly on IV's chest as the warmth surrounded him. He shifted after a moment; his hands IV's hips as he rose to his knees bending IV in the awkward position instead as he frantically pounded into him losing any sense to go at a steady pace awhile ago.

He took IV's length in one hand, trying to pump in time with his movements inside him. The pleasure was coursing through his body, waves of adrenaline washing through him, cooling his overheated body as he came in long bursts. His whole frame shuttered with a moan as he pitched forward; jerking IV off as the orgasm ripped through him until the sorcerer released as well.

His body was quick to cool off in the chilled night air; the only warmth he could feel was his chest still pressed against IV's. He slowly pushed himself up with shaky arms and slid from the bed. He frowned when IV pulled the sheets back up and rolled over.

"IV?"

IV hummed a half response as he turned to face Vector again. His eyes were half lidded and face relaxed, he didn't seem mad or felt used. Vector sighed in relief.

"Come to bed with me. It's cold in here." He turned on his heel to exit, stopping in the doorway for a moment looking over his shoulder at the sorcerer.

"Besides, I'm hardly done with you."


	6. Shadows of the Sun

_I'll give you until tomorrow to tell Nasch what you are, or I'll do it. And I won't be as forgiving about you staying here, lover or not. I don't have the time. My brother is still missing._

V's warning rang clear with Kaito as he looked through the bookshelf in Merag's study. As high priestess it was a large amount of books on religion and the church, even the magic scrolls didn't really surprise him much.

"Why are we in here?" Nasch asked as he leaned against the desk with his arms folded across his chest. He knew his sister wouldn't take kindly to them poking around without permission.

"Looking for some- Ah, here it is." Kaito said as he pulled the dusty book from the shelf. "How familiar are you with the Old World?" He asked as he walked around the desk and sat down.

Nasch shook his head, honestly he wasn't that familiar. During their teachings as children the stories weren't ones he could easily believe. Merag found it easy to put her trust in the church and its gods; but Nasch needed to put his "faith" in something concrete. As king he had to rely on his own strength, not that of something he couldn't see.

He sighed and pushed himself off the desk and moved to stand behind Kaito to look at the book. The writing in it was old and faded, but little did that matter as it was written in a dead language.

"I can't read this."

"There aren't many who can. As high priestess Merag would have been taught, but I doubt that she's even read this."

Nasch leaned against the desk again to look at Kaito, not caring about seeing something he couldn't read. "Can you read it?"

Kaito nodded, "it's my native tongue."

Nasch froze in disbelief, "but this language doesn't exist anymore."

"You're right it doesn't," A soft smile slipped onto his face as he gently thumbed through its pages. The stories on them depicting great battles that a strong leader like Nasch would appreciate if he could read them. "it is the tongue of the gods from the Old World."

Nasch was sure he heard what Kaito had said, but his brain was taking an excruciating amount of time to process. Kaito's implications crawling through his thoughts as he tried to take them in. Cerulean eyes widened; that couldn't be, could it? Kaito was a part of the Old World; but that world ceased to exist when the gods left the Earth hundreds of years ago.

A broken up "how" was all he was able to stutter as he sat down on the desk's surface, unable to support himself any longer.

Kaito stood up so he could look Nasch in the eye, his face remained comforting, even if he was scared and a little sad on the inside, not sure how Nasch was going to start reacting.

"Nasch," he stopped just as quickly as he started with a shake of his head. He took Nasch's hands in his, giving them a gentle squeeze as if to not be afraid, "my real name is Alcor. I'm one of three god weapons still on Earth."

This time he was in Kaito's quarters as V settled down on the bed, silver white hair cascading down the side of the bed with the royal blue bed dressings. Kaito had said he was welcomed to use his room; and V could barely notice the other man's scent on the sheets, it was clear he hadn't used the room in quite some time. He sighed and shook his head, as he let his eyes slip shut as he pushed the thought from his head for now. He would sort that mess out later, he had to focus on his younger brothers for now.

"III, can you hear me?" V called out to his brother telepathically, his thoughts straining to find his brother in a separate plane from reality. He knew IV was physically to far away to reach in this manner, but III may be close enough.

"Yes, brother."

A soft smile formed on his lips, the comfort of his brother's voice breaking the stress that Kaito had caused him.

"I won't be back for some time, Alcor has," he paused with a sigh, maybe all the irritates haven't dissolved, "he has taken to another human."

He heard his brother chortle in response, and he scowled.

"Mizael knew didn't he?"

III's laughter subsided into a giggle, "yes he did."

"They're both pains, you should have come here instead."

"Mizael told me you have to work out your jealousy."

V scoffed at the notion, not entertaining it for a moment. "There is no jealousy."

They both fell silent for a long moment. The thought alone disgusted V; even if he was jealous for a minute that was too long ago to waste time thinking about.

"Brother," III's voice cut into his thoughts, "Mizael and I are on our way to rescue IV."

V sighed, at least there was progress somewhere. He missed both of his brothers dearly, but getting Kaito sorted out and _somehow_ getting him away from the king was his priority.

"Good. Be mindful of the forest, III."

"Of course."

When the shock subsided enough, the pair had moved to the day bed. Pillows piled on one end as Kaito settled into them, Nasch laying between his legs with his back pressed into his chest. The king held the old book in his hands, opened to pages with faded paintings on them.

The paintings were old, colors faded to nothing more than water stains on the paper; but one drawing remained unchanged, as if it was just painted yesterday. The art depicted two fierce dragons locked in an endless battle; one dragon the embodiment of time, Mizael, darker than the pitch black of the night, and the other (who he happened to be laying with now and every time before. It was still ridiculous to think of that way Nasch would admit) was rich in blues and purples of royalty, Alcor the dragon of life. In the battle Mizael had been corrupted by The Sickness of the Underworld and turned into the dragon of destruction, set on annihilation of the Old World.

"You said there are three of you," Nasch thought out loud as he ran his fingers over the face of the second dragon. Was this really Kaito, in a true form?

"The third is Alkaid," Kaito said as he turned the page for Nasch, revealing a third bone white dragon, "Alkaid the Protector. Left on Earth by Ena to protect it from Mizael."

Nasch sighed and closed the book before gently laying it on the ground. No matter how plainly Kaito tried to explain it to him, it was still too much for him to process and he was quickly growing tired.

"I don't understand, if the Eliphas only locked Mizael away in a human form, how did you end up the same way?"

There was a sad smile on Kaito's face before he buried his head into the purple locks to hide it. He laced their fingers together as if to remind himself he was happy with his current life with the king.

"I chose this for myself. This body and name are borrowed from a brother of a scared child, afraid of losing the only family he knew." His voice broke in sadness and he fell silent. He held Nasch closer to his chest as he tightly closed his eyes against tears that would never come because he had already cried too much for the human he once threw everything away for.

Nasch shifted when he felt Kaito tense around him, turning the best he could in the tight embrace to look at Kaito. The steel blue eyes opened to look down at him, shattered and tired in their own way. One hand reached up to cup the side of his face, thumb swiping at tears that weren't actually there.

"It's alright, you don't have to tell me now." Nasch offered, but wasn't sure if it was enough. He stretched up the best he could, kissing Kaito's jaw line for comfort.

The air released from Kaito's lungs in a heavy sigh, "you're right." he paused, that wasn't fair. "Maybe some other time," he added quickly as he sat them both up.

"It's late, and you look just as exhausted as I do," Nasch oftered him a tired smile as he stood off the day bed, "let's retire for the night. And if you're up to it, you can tell me more in the morning."

Kaito nodded and followed Nasch out of the study and to his personal chambers. Sleep was on both of their tired minds, but was going to prove to be a hard thing to find that night.

The sun was high in the sky, scorching anything that wasn't hidden under the shade. Luckily for IV the heat didn't bother him, but he laid under the large awning limbs haphazardly tangled with Vector's as they lounged in one of the reclined sun bathing chairs. He was silent as he stared off to Vector's side and the thick forest around the castle. An uncomfortable feeling was pulling at him all morning and into the afternoon. The darkness that crept around the city state made his stomach twist, and the whispers and jitters that came from the villagers made him just as sick. Vector never seemed to notice, either not bothered or ignorant to it, IV wasn't sure. But either way he decided not to bring it up, maybe it was just his imagination and paranoia about the forest playing with his head.

A servant stepped in his line of sight tearing him from his thoughts as he was offered a goblet of wine. He took it, nodding his thanks to the servant; taking a sip as they moved out of his view and his mind quickly falling back to the forest and The Sickness he had always been warned about by V and Mizael.

"You said you don't believe the tales of the evil in your own forest, yet the whole city is walled in, not just the castle, why?" He asked, peering up at Vector.

The king removed his own glass from his lips, with his free hand he ran his fingers through IV's thick hair. "I don't believe them, the walls were my father's doing. His own obsession with something that doesn't exist drove him to his death."

"The Sickness does exist," IV said with a shake of his head. He may have not been the most knowledgeable Guardian, but he certainly knew what he felt and it wasn't normal dishonesty.

"Maybe," past his lips as a sigh, "it's not something I worry about is all."

It wasn't that Vector didn't believe in it, but he grew up watching his father slowly drive himself mad trying to hide from it until he disappeared one night. The last of his known whereabouts was an account of a lone guard who declined to follow him into the forest with a few of his knights.

Vector woke up the next morning not allowed time to grieve as he was whisked away by the church to be crowned the next king before the nobles had a chance at a coup.

"Your Majesty!"

The pair was pulled out of their separate thoughts as the swishing of chain mail against a fabric tunic accompanied the call for Vector. Their limbs untangled as Vector removed himself from IV to sit up a little straighter, setting the goblet down on the table next to them.

"What is it, Alit?"

"Oh, good, I got to you first," the knight was slightly out of breath at the words fell from his mouth without making much sense, "don't want to think of what would happen to you if they got here first."

"Who? No, what are you talking about?" Vector asked as found himself letting out an exasperated sigh in an attempt to get his champion to calm down and think clearly.

"It-It's your father, he's returned."


	7. I Don't Believe in God

There was an obvious problem that the forest caused the kingdom of Coerthas; even before the walls were built, previous kings never did venture far out into it. No matter how many resources the forest held the kingdom had resigned itself to be an importer for well over a hundred years.

That all had changed when Gaius, Vector's father, ascended to the throne. The nation that made its fortune with its fishing trade was quickly turned into a military might, as the peaceful shipping boats where replaced with mighty war ships. The naval fleet soon became the strongest in the southern hemisphere, plundering anything its motherland may have needed from neighboring nations. By the time Vector was of age he was placed at the top as Commander of the Navy and held the title ever since; and eventually forced to king in the wake of his father's absence and assumed death.

The heels of IV's sandals echoed off the stone walls as he hurried to follow behind Vector and his knight. He noticed how tense Vector's shoulders and back were, slightly hunched over as he stormed off toward the throne room. Anger was radiating from him, something IV hadn't sen since he was first brought onto the war ship.

IV looked over at Alit briefly, "I don't get it, I thought Vector's father was dead?"

"It was never confirmed," Alit said was they took a sharp turn around a corner, "But because of that the church has created a problem for themselves now when they made His Majesty king so soon."

The church had always kept itself in the shadows of the king; a public face of nothing but religious peace while pulling the strings and turning the crown into nothing but a puppet. Vector had been the first to prove difficult to control, not having the same faith his father did. But then again, someone as paranoid as Gaius it wasn't exactly difficult to rule by proxy.

It was clear to Alit whose side the church would take if Vector's rule ever came into question and that worried him.

"This is my kingdom now, he has no right-" Vector cut himself off as he threw the heavy oak doors open, "Father! What is the meaning of this?"

Vector's gaze landed on his throne where Gaius sat perched as he laughed with the priests who had gathered around. His whole body shook as the anger inside him turned white hot for the disrespect they were showing his rule.

"Ah, _Prince_ Vector," The head priest, Shunya, stepped down from the platform with a warm smile on his face as he welcomed him with open arms.

Vector hissed at the insult as IV and Alit moved to either of his sides. IV wasn't sure what he was doing, but Alit's hand was quick on the hilt of his sword, his own anger rising for the dishonor.

"Do not call me that if you value your life, Shunya." Vector's own hand reflexively went to his side only to come up empty. When did he start walking around unarmed? "I am your king, address me as such."

Shunya waived his hand dismissively as he folded his arms across his chest, "come now, Your Highness, your father has returned in good health! You must be delighted."

Violet eyes narrowed as they shifted toward _his_ throne, looking his father once over. He was right, he did seem unharmed; but that didn't mean anything when the Sickness manifested in the mind first.

"That's impossible for how long he was in the forest."

The priestess that sat by Gaius side joined Shunya, a few guards Vector always knew had more loyalty to his father moving with her. She was petite, and soft spoken. Always the kindest to Vector when he disagreed with the church, but even now she seemed adamant in the church's convictions of returning the crown to Gaius.

"The gods have blessed the king, and kept him safe all this time," Trini's voice was gentle despite the betrayal her words held.

"How can you tell, he's always been insane!" Alit snapped.

"Sir Alit, please don't talk to your king in such a manner."

"He's not my king!" Rage had spilled over for him as he drew his sword from it's sheath. The guards drew their own to match, closing the space between them as they encircled the trio. With Vector unarmed it was almost too simple for them to overpower Alit, his sword clattering to the floor as they took hold of them. Alit thrashed against their hold and Vector snarled.

"Unhand me!"

"Son, please. You look unsightly." Gaius said as he calmly stood from the throne and made his way toward Vector. "Aren't you happy to see me unharmed?"

Vector grit his teeth as his arms were wrenched behind them, "not under such circumstances."

A grin twisted across his face as Gaius raised his hand and the guards released his son. "I apologize." He moved away from Vector and picked up Alit's sword from the ground. He walked toward where a pair held IV still, not that it took much as he was hardly struggling.

"Who's this? Trini tells me you have a boyfriend." He leaned forward, pinching IV's face between his thumb and pointer, "but he can't be him, can he?" He tilled IV's face to the side to get a clear look at the purple tattoo across his cheek. "Looks like you have quite the prize here, son. He would be great bait to get our hands on the gods' weapons."

Vector's fists shook at his side, as he stood tall subconsciously trying to look intimidating without a weapon of his own, "Do not touch him, father. Or I swear I'll –"

Vector was cut off as his father swung the sword wildly behind him, nearly slicing Vector's unprotected chest, "Or you'll _what_, Vector? You're in no position to be threatening me." He squeezed IV's face tighter, "So which Guardian are you? Earth? Maybe Water? No, not with those gorgeous eyes, you must be Fire."

IV narrowed his eyes, his own anger starting to swirl in his gut. The heat started to simmer under his skin, heating it so it was hot to the touch. Gaius gasped in pain as he withdrew his hand, the guards unwillingly following suit as the heat began to grow.

"Yes, _Your Majesty_, Fire is correct." IV sneered, his voice thick in sarcasm as he took a step forward forcing Gaius back.

Crimson eyes shifted to the sword hilt, the medal instantly burning white hot like it was right out of the blacksmith's forge. Gaius let out a sharp cry as he let go of the sword, clenching his wounded hand against his chest.

"Bastard." He spat, his other hand going to his belt, drawing a small dagger as he wielded is wildly at IV, reaching just enough to slice across this right eye. The pain that welled instantly in his brain caused him to loose control. He screamed out in pain as he clutched at his eye, falling to his knees as a ring of fire defensively circled around him. The pain folded back into him, compounding as the blood seeped through his fingers. The flames grew and flared out uncontrolled as they shot to the ceiling to protect IV in a vortex. The next moment a pressure was released outward as they sent everyone flying back from him.

"IV!" Vector called out as the smoke settled. He scrambled to his feet but the guards were quicker as he was once again restrained. An audible gasp left his lips as he saw a familiar sight. IV passed out on the ground in a burnt out circle.

Gaius coughed as he tried to rid his lungs of the smoke, shakily standing up.

"Take him to the dungeons."

"Nasch tells me Kaito is a dragon."

The voice sounded more amused than anything as V looked up from the old book Kaito had found in the study. It was early the next day when he wandered out of Kaito's chambers only to not be able to find him. Merag stood in the doorway, it was her study after all.

"That's right, I'm sure you know the stories."

"I do," she nodded, "it's just amusing to think my brother has bedded – oh, sorry, I."

A soft smile slipped onto V's face as her cheeks quickly turned red, "don't be. I already know."

"Right, of course." She shook her head violently to get the blush to disappear, her blue bangs dancing around her head as she did.

"You're his Guardian then?"

V nodded as he closed the book to give Merag more of his attention. "Yes I am."

"Then tell me," she started as she rounded the desk where he sat, leaning against it, "is it true, that Kaito – Alcor is stuck in that human body."

"Stuck?" V chuckled, "that implies this wasn't his choice. But, I suppose he is "stuck.""

"Choice?" She parroted as she pushed herself up to sit down on the surface of the desk to make herself more comfortable for the story she felt coming. She enjoyed learning anything about the Old World especially. And now that one of the dragons had slipped under her nose into the kingdom she was even more curious.

V sighed as he rested his elbows on the desk, cupping his face in his hands. "Alcor wasn't left on Earth like Mizael or Alkaid were. After the gods left the Earth for different stars they left Alcor behind in the heavens as a ruler of the after life. Which worked for hundreds of years, but you can't leave a spirit of life in charge of death.

"One day he heard the prayer of a boy. Haruto was an orphan who lived with his sick brother. If you ask him Alcor will tell you this child prayed for his brother's life to be spared every moment he was awake. I," another sigh, "I can say that's exaggerated, but only because I was there."

Merag's ruby eyes softened as she watched V. Of course, the Guardians were as immortal as the weapons, that was common knowledge. But the memories seemed to drag up a pain V wanted buried. She smiled gently, placing her hand over his. "Hey, it's OK you don't have to keep telling me."

V chuckled and shook his head, the pain slipping beneath the surface the best he could hide it. "I'm fine. It's just. Haruto's brother, Kaito – the human Kaito not the "Kaito" you know now, was important to me. When Alcor fell into him and took over his body in attempt to keep Kaito alive I happened to be the first one he saw. Haruto was meant to be his Guardian, not me."

V pulled his hand from under Merag's. The only reason he was telling her because he knew as a priestess her faith would be able to respect the story. He pulled his sleeve back revealing the blue gem imbedded in his wrist. He held it out to her and she instantly took it. He had a feeling she understood, but continued anyway.

"Dragon tears. When he fell he cried for me and it created this stone. Cried because,"

She cut him off as she ran her fingers over the gem gently, "because he knew at that moment your humanity was gone."

The next thing IV was aware of was the heavy iron door swinging open behind him with an awful whine. His vision was blurred as he went to rub his eyes but was met with pain when he touched the wound. He cried out again, the straw he was laying on catching fire underneath him.

"IV!"

There was a clatter of objects hitting the ground before he felt himself being pulled from the fire. Curses fell from Vector as he frantically patted on his clothing that caught fire.

"Idiot, I wasn't going to get burned." IV huffed as he struggled to sit up, holding the good side of his face in his hand as sharp headaches ripped through his temples.

"Yeah, well," Vector shook his head as he crouched down next to IV and pushed his head back to get a good look of his face better, "what the hell was that for anyway?"

"Head hurts." IV groaned, "can't control it so easily."

"I see." Vector shifted as he reached for the medicines he previously dropped and sat down flat on the ground next to IV. He handed the mage a crushed tablet of herbs to ease the pain, "now let me clean you up."

Vector took IV's chin between his fingers, gently cleaning the wound of dried blood and ash with a warm cloth. His touch was soft, IV barely could feel it as he wiped the wound clean before wrapping a dressing around his head and under his ear to keep the bandage in place.

"Shouldn't a servant or something do this?" IV asked when Vector was done and cleaning his own hands of the blood.

"I've been a soldier my whole life, I'd like to think I do a better job dressing wounds than a servant." Vector sighed and tossed the bloodied rag to the side, "besides, it's sort of my fault."

"It's not." IV paused as he closed his uninjured eye. "Can't see."

Vector shook his head, "the eye is pretty mangled, I doubt you ever will out of that one again."

They both fell silent for a beat, the "that's unfortunate"s and "I'm sorry"s going unsaid.

"Your father?"

"Complicated."

Vector stood up again. There wasn't anything complicated about it. After IV was removed there wasn't a moment wasted as Shunya informed him his crowning was fake the whole time, and legally meant nothing. There had been more than heated words that nearly resulted in Alit getting injured as well. Vector calmed down after that, not wanting to risk anyone's life that his father held in such little regard.

"Come on, I'm not going to let him treat you like this, however." He held out his hand to help IV back to his feet as he lead him out of the cell.

If his father was serious about wanting to use IV to lure the weapon he was tied to into his grasp he would have to be extra careful. Torture was not out of the realm of possibilities for such a tortured mind; Vector knew he and Alit both were going to need to keep IV safe.


	8. War Machine

It was almost an instant feeling for both of them as the stepped off the ship. There was a sharp spark over their souls as the attention turned to the forest.

"Yuma-" III started but Mizael cut him off with a nod before he pulled his cloak over his head.

"Seems so. This is where he was taken." Mizael grit his teeth as he made his way down the docks and into the city, "I don't believe in coincidences."

III picked up his pace to catch up with him. Everything with his brother had sidetracked him from their real quest; what had taken them out of the safety of the wilderness and into villages in the first place. Yuma had been stolen out from under their noses in the middle of the night.

"Do you think IV knows?"

"Doubtful, he's not Yuma's Guardian and not attuned to him like you are."

"Right." III stuttered as his eyes shifted down. "It's my fault."

"Only as much as it's mine that IV got captured too," Mizael sighed as his gaze shifted up to the main castle. He didn't need to blame III for what happened, it wasn't going to change the outcome. Enough time on Earth and living through countless tragedies had taught him enough about that. The real problem was waltzing into the kingdom's stronghold to rescue his bonehead Guardian. It was times like this that he wished he could freely shift forms; but the Old ways were long gone.

And that _was_ his fault.

"III, with me," Mizael muttered as he ducked into the closest tavern. The patrons all shifted in an eerie synched movement as the two hooded figures passed through the entrance. Mizael sighed and removed his hood, III opting to take off the cloak all together. The barmaid muttered a halfhearted 'welcome' to them as they moved to sit at a table in the far corner.

III sat down, watching Mizael carefully. He caught a glance of the other's trembling hands before he hid them under the table. "What are we going to do?"

Mizael took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "You're going to go rescue Yuma on your own," he let out a shaky breath, completely emptying his lungs, "I'd go with you, but I can already." he trailed off. He could feel The Sickness washing inside of him. The walls may be protecting most citizens, but already once infected he knew he was weaker to it than most.

"No, I need to stay with you like this. At least until-"

Mizael waved his hand, cutting III off before placing it back in his lap, "As long as I make it into the main castle walls I will be fine. Finding Yuma in that forest is more important."

All III could do was nod as he stayed silent to the order. He knew what was at risk, but his brother's safety weighed on him.

Vector thrashed against the guards that held him in place in the middle of the throne room as if he was nothing more than a worthless criminal in his own kingdom. When the end of a pole arm struck the back of his knees he grit his teeth, refusing to show a moment of weakness, as he fell forced to kneel in front of his father.

"Leave him be!"

Gaius leaned over the arm of the throne, his chin in one hand as he reached out with the other fisting a hand full of crimson hair. IV writhed underneath the strong grip letting out a sharp cry. There was a strap of leather wrapped across his eyes, a spell carved into it by the church to stop his own magics.

"Don't steal things from my dungeons, Vector." Gaius tilted his head to look at his son, "but if you want me to, you can do something for me first."

Vector snarled, his eyes tearing away from his father to look at IV. The leather blind was cutting into the gash on his cheek, the blood streaking down his face from the reopened wound. "Let him go."

The king released IV's hair as he stood up, "fine, fine," he motioned towards the guards to release Vector as well. He scoffed as he watched his son scramble to IV's side. "When did you become so weak, my son?"

Vector cradled IV against his chest, violet eyes narrowing on his father. The accusation hit hard, an insult he couldn't quite shake. "I'm not weak."

"Yes you are. Your kingdom was ripped right out underneath you, and you won't do anything because you're too worried about what may happen to your precious lover."

"That's not true." Vector broke his gaze away from his father to look down at IV, his bloody cheek smearing against Vector's tunic. He felt himself shattering on the inside to see the Guardian in such a weakened state, but wouldn't remove the blind, fear of what Gaius would do to the both of them sitting in the front of his thoughts.

Maybe he was weak.

"Is that so? Show me that you're strong enough to be my son, my _heir_, and go into the forest to retrieve something for me."

"What?"

"The key to unlock the weapon your _lover_ is bound to."

Mizael didn't know it, but he could consider himself lucky that the royal guard had torn itself in two over loyalties with the mess of the rule the church had caused. Most were quick to go crawling back to Gaius' side at his return, but some (all be it quietly) stayed true to Vector. As the long standing commander, loyalties were never brought into question as he spent most of his life with a mutual respect for his men.

So when the infection had caused him to pass out short of the castle walls, whatever grace was left in the world shown down on him when one of those true to Vector had stumbled across him during patrol. A man that was quick to find Alit in Vector's absence.

Alit bent down brushing the golden hair away from Mizael's face, revealing the red facial tattoos. His brow knotted together in thought; he had seen tattoos done in such perfection on only one other person. He pulled the hood down over the man's face before he stood back up, brushing the grass from his knees.

"Gilag, take him to Vector's chambers, and put him in the servant's bed. But make sure no one sees you. Stay there until I meet back up with you."

"Understood, sir."

Alit departed from Gilag once they were back inside the walls as he headed down into the dungeons. The guard easy to pay off with silver as he made his way inside to where IV was being held.

"IV." the name was little more than a whisper as he pushed open the cell door. The mage had been chained down to the stone floor, wrists and ankles rubbed raw from where he fought against them.

"IV, it's Alit. I'm going to take off the blind," he announced as he knelt down in front of IV on the floor. He held his breath as he removed the leather, worried IV would panic and end up hurting him. All the air pushed itself out in a heavy sigh as his eyes locked with IV's.

"Did Vector?"

Alit nodded, trying to ignore the disappointment in IV's voice. Vector had refused to let Alit go with him, telling him to look after IV instead. There was nothing he could do to sway his king, but from what he knew keeping IV away from Gaius was just as important.

Alit took out the key he had bought from the guard, undoing the shackles, "I need you to come with me."

IV rubbed his wrists, cringing at the sores under his fingertips. "Not to deny what you're doing, Alit, but I've been through enough pain because of Gaius. I don't need any more."

Alit shook his head, "I understand, but Vector told me to keep you safe, and I will. It's just, you need to see something." He stood up offering his hand out to help the mage to his feet.

"What?" IV asked as he stood up with the knight's help.

"Follow me."

It had been a month since IV even stepped foot into the servant's quarters. Curses fell from his lips as he nearly toppled Gilag over trying to get to the bedside in the cramped space. He cupped Mizael's pale cheek in his hand, more curses soon following.

"He's sick," he muttered, his fingers running through the tangled blond strands, before pausing and turning around to look at Alit. "But why did you need me?"

"He's one of you, isn't he?"

IV went to reply but his jaw snapped shut instead. His eyes narrowed at the knight, not knowing who to trust. He looked back down at Mizael, "Make him leave." There were very few he could trust in the castle now, feeling trapped and used in a place that used to be so open to him.

Alit nodded as he turned to Gilag, "go watch the door. Don't let anyone in here. Forfeit your own life first, if you must." IV's empty hand fisted the bed sheet as he heard the order, and the guard take it without pause.

"It's the tattoos," Alit offered the explanation that IV was silently looking for, "he's a Guardian too, yeah?"

A bitter chuckle fell from IV as he pet the side of Mizael's face, fingers tracing the red marks on his face. "Oh, Alit. He's so much more than that. One of the last God's weapons on this planet."

The realization was swift for Alit, well founded terror falling onto his face. The very thing Gaius wanted, what he had sworn in front of him and Vector he would use IV in anyway to obtain was just carried into the castle walls like it was nothing. How could something so frail looking be the ultimate war machine?

"You said he's sick." Alit managed to squeeze out after a long moment.

"He is, with The Sickness. Humans are prone to hallucinating or madness when exposed; but that's because the human mind is weak. Mizael, his very mind being rewritten until all the light is gone and only the darkness remains."

Alit frowned as he took a seat at the end of the bed, "is there anything we can do to save him?"

IV looked down at him, anger swirling around inside him. Mizael was the last one that needed to step foot on the island, knowing full well what the forest held. Since the war and his corruption Mizael would always be easily poisoned by The Sickness again. IV cursed at the thought. Where were his brothers in all this? Why didn't they come for him instead?

"He'll be fine." IV said as he pulled the blanket up over Mizael. "It's the only job of a Guardian, to protect from The Sickness. As long as I'm around him, he will wake up." IV stood back up, walking toward the window before leaning against the window sill. The forest was dark and hard to see, even with the full moon that hung overhead.

"I'm more worried about Vector."

Alit joined him at the window, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "If anything, Vector is strong willed. He will return."

IV sighed, but slowly nodded his head. The forest was strong, but maybe a little blind faith is what Vector needed to make it back with his sanity in tact.


End file.
